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"You want to see a real hero? Look at a guy who gets up in the morning and goes off to work and supports his family. That's heroism."

-- Lorenzo Anello (Rober De Niro)

Having watched Robert De Niro's directorial debut for the first time since its 1993 release, I have to be honest and say that my initial feelings are mixed. Don't get me wrong, I did really enjoy The Bronx Tale for its ambition in tackling various themes of family, trust, anti-racism and love; though, at times, it did feel as if the movie was more impressive on the ideas front, rather than the actual execution.

The story concerns working-class bus driver Lorenzo Anello (De Niro) and his son Calogero. "C", for short, soon witnesses a murder committed by local gangster Sonny (Chazz Palminteri) and is asked to identify the killer by the police. But he doesn't, and Sonny walks free as a result, which leads to a developing relationship between the two, with Sonny treating C as if he were his own son (much to the dismay of C's own Father).

A Bronx Tale creates an interesting conflict between two father figures. Lorenzo is the honest, hard-working man who just wants to put food on the table for his family; Sonny, too, gives sound advice, but has the money and the authority on the streets that excites C. We are able to see the tension in this triangular relationship and understand C's trust and admiration for both men.

A Bronx Tale, with De Niro as a director, takes obvious inspiration from Goodfellas and Martin Scorsese, in the way that the camera pans around the room to introduce the viewer to each of the characters at the beginning. And because of the emphasis on detail, we begin to love such characters -- particularly, De Niro and Palminteri in the leading roles. You can forgive the film for the parental conflict climaxing without the need for some mindless shootout, which, at times, it feels as if the film is hinting towards.

However, the sub-plot of anti-racism, which soon develops from C's relationship with an African-American beauty (Taral Hicks) from the next neighbourhood, seems like too much of a moralistic step for the film to take. It may sound like a great idea -- particularly as it develops around the turbulent era of the 1960s -- but, in truth, I found the film to be much less compelling in such instance. This issue, perhaps, deserves to be the main theme of another movie.

That said, A Bronx Tale is a touching tale of a young man's coming-of-age and the respect that he has for the two biggest influences in his life. Recommended for fans of Goodfellas, De Niro and those who recognise the importance of family.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.